Clowns and Rats Scare Me

Cary Clack is beloved in San Antonio, and for good reason. He brings wit and wisdom to his writings, making his columns the first thing people turn to in the morning paper. It’s fair to say that Clack speaks to people beyond his local fans, using his heartfelt, probing, and powerful approach to cover national issues such as terrorism, racism, and child abuse. After 9/11 he spent weeks in New York City, observing firsthand the aftermath of that calamity and sending in thoughtful reports that raised questions and gave comfort. He turns with ease to his keen sense of humor to the stuff of everyday life, such as the power of Krispy Kreme doughnuts and his fear of clowns.

The columns collected here from the San Antonio Express-News draw from thirteen years’ worth of Clack’s commentaries and capture a prize-winning journalist at the peak of his powers, whether close to home or farther afield. Internationally acclaimed poet Naomi Shihab Nye contributes a foreword.

Praise

“Cary’s witty, often poignant columns cut to the heart of social and political matters, offering the homespun wisdom he earned growing up on the East Side, studying life lessons and advocating for justice.”

— San Antonio Magazine

“Whether it’s reliving the dreams of Martin Luther King Jr. or interpreting the Audacity of Hope to a city that’s witnessing history in the making, Cary has a unique sense of his surroundings. With roots grounded in his beloved city of San Antonio, he brings words to life. No matter the topic, he faces the task undauntedly and welcomes each and every column. Enjoy the literary skills of San Antonio’s own Cary Clack!”

Cary Clack writes on local and national news, events and social issues. Born in San Antonio, he is a graduate of St. Gerard High School and St. Mary’s University. In summer 1984, he was a scholar-intern at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, and he wrote CNN commentaries for Coretta Scott King. From 1989 to 1995, he was a trainer in nonviolence at King Center workshops for high school and college students. He wrote columns for the San Antonio Snap and...

Naomi Shihab Nye was born to a Palestinian father and an American mother and lived in Palestine, Jerusalem, and San Antonio, Texas, where she studied at Trinity University. She is the author of numerous poetry books, including You and Yours, 19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East, Fuel, and Red Suitcase. Her honors include awards from the Texas Institute of Letters and the International Poetry Forum, the Carity Randall Prize, the Academy of American Poets’ Lavan Award, and four...